Optical combiner device

Active Publication Date: 2005-08-11
OMRON MANAGEMENT CENT OF AMERICA
View PDF2 Cites 39 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] One of the key objects of the present invention is to provide a compact and cost effective optical combiner for both single-mode or multimode fiber optic communication systems, all without requiring the use of dielectric filters and the alignment necessitated by those filters or expensive waveguides.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to minimize optical loss due to divergence of light between the source coupling opt

Problems solved by technology

The Lee et al design does not achieve isolation from unwanted reflections or a u

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Optical combiner device
  • Optical combiner device
  • Optical combiner device

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Example

[0025]FIGS. 1-4 show an optical combiner 10 that illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention. The combiner 10 in this embodiment includes four spaced apart input collimating lenses 21,22, 23,24 and output focusing lens 30. Lasers 11,12 are located at the focal points of the input lenses and the light is collimated, reflected off a prism 40 and focused by the focusing lens 30 onto a spot at which a single optical fiber (not shown) is stopped by fiber stop or seat 60 formed in ferrule 80. Pins 71,72,73,74 are located to aid in affixing the combiner device 10 to the support (not shown) for the lasers. The integrated ferrule 80 enables one to place an output fiber optic cable into the pre-aligned connector.

[0026] This combiner device has the ability to combine individual light signals into an optical path 90 that can be directed towards an optical fiber (not shown for clarity). Matching the NA of the larger focusing lens 30 and the NA of the fiber (not shown) inserted into ...

Example

[0030]FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the invention 110 which does not include a prism for translating the optical beams from one axis to another. This particular embodiment is beneficial for mating to a standard “TO” style laser chip package. Similar to the embodiment described in FIGS. 1-4, the embodiment shown here utilizes a two-dimensional array of four lenses 121,122,123,124 for collimating the input light signals from a two-dimensional, two by two, array of lasers (not shown), a single focusing lens 130, and a fiber connector 180 that allows one to place a fiber optic cable into the pre-aligned connector.

Example

[0031]FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention. The combiner is shown generally as 210 and includes a circular array of four lasers 211,212,213 and 214. Each laser 211-214 has a different output wavelength. Each laser is mounted to a support 215. The lasers 211-214 are co-planar and the output beam of each of the lasers 211-214 is directed towards the center of the array. At the center of the array is a coupling optic 216 formed of a single monolithic optical block. Four collimating lenses (only two of which 221 and 222 are visible) are formed in the four side walls 231,232,233 and 234, respectively, of the module or coupling block 216. The focusing lens 250 is formed on the top surface of the module 216. The surface of focusing lens 250 is smooth and includes four pie-shaped radial quadrants 251-254. Each of the quadrants 251-254 transmits a separate output beam of the lasers 211-214, respectively.

[0032] As shown best in FIG. 8, the bottom surface 240 of mod...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to view more

PUM

No PUM Login to view more

Abstract

An optical device for combining optical signals of different wavelengths is described wherein an array of laser output beams are collimated, directed to propagate along a similar path, and coupled into an optical fiber through a single molded part. The single-part optical coupling module can be constructed in various ways to achieve the desired configuration. One example is a single plastic-injection molded part, containing mechanical alignment features, an array of collimating lenses, and a focusing lens housed within a fiber optic connector ferrule. The laser output beams are separately passed through separate radial sectors of the focusing lens.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority from United States Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 541,573 filed Feb. 4, 2004.BACKGROUND AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention pertains to optical communications. More particularly, this invention relates to an optical multiplexing device which spatially combines multi-wavelength light from a plurality of lasers into an optical fiber. In certain preferred embodiments, the improved multiplexing device of the present invention is particularly suited for wavelength division multiplexing systems for the fiber-optic data-communications and telecommunications systems. [0003] In prior art wavelength division multiplexed optical communication systems, many different optical wavelength carriers provide independent communication channels in a single optical fiber. Future computation and communication systems place ever-increasing demands upon communication link bandw...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to view more

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to view more
IPC IPC(8): G02B6/34G02B6/42H04J14/02
CPCG02B6/2938G02B6/4214G02B6/4206
Inventor RAY, CURTIS A.GRANN, ERIC B.PETERS, BRIAN C.
Owner OMRON MANAGEMENT CENT OF AMERICA
Who we serve
  • R&D Engineer
  • R&D Manager
  • IP Professional
Why Eureka
  • Industry Leading Data Capabilities
  • Powerful AI technology
  • Patent DNA Extraction
Social media
Try Eureka
PatSnap group products

Browse by: Latest US Patents, China's latest patents, Technical Efficacy Thesaurus, Application Domain, Technology Topic.

© 2024 PatSnap. All rights reserved.Legal|Privacy policy|Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement|Sitemap